<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81444</law_id><section_number>24.2-524</section_number><catch_line>To whom fees paid; refund of fees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="24.2">Elections</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Candidates for Office</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Conduct of Primaries</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> <span class="dictionary">Candidates</span> for United States Senators, for representatives in Congress, and for the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall pay the <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fee to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> of <span class="dictionary">Elections</span>. The <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fees shall be credited by the Board to a fund to be known as the &#x201C;state <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fee fund.&#x201D;
			The Board shall refund the fee by warrant upon the state <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fee fund in the event the prospective <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> does not become a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>, becomes a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> and is not opposed, or must refile for any reason. All other <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fees paid to the Board shall be paid or placed to the credit of the fund out of which the Board pays the Commonwealth&#x2019;s expenses for the <span class="dictionary">primary</span>. <a id="paragraph-291823" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-524/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> All other <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> shall pay the fee to the treasurer, or director of finance if there is no treasurer, of the city or county in which they reside. The treasurer or director of finance shall pay back the fee in the event the prospective <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> does not become a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>, or becomes a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> and must refile for any reason. In the event the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> is unopposed, the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> or the <span class="dictionary">local electoral board</span>, as appropriate, shall notify, no less than 60 days before the <span class="dictionary">primary</span>, the treasurer or director of finance to whom the fee was paid that the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> is unopposed and shall provide the name and mailing address for returning the fee to the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>. The treasurer or director of finance promptly shall return the fee to the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>. All other <span class="dictionary">primary</span> fees paid a county or city treasurer or director of finance shall be paid or placed to the credit of the fund of the county or city out of which the expenses of the <span class="dictionary">primary</span> were paid by the county or city. <a id="paragraph-291824" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-524/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A receipt for the payment of the fee must be attached to the declaration of candidacy; otherwise the declaration shall not be received or filed. <a id="paragraph-291825" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-524/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 24-401; 1962, c. 462; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 247, &#xA7; 24.1-199; 1982, c. 650; 1988, c. 192; 1993, c. 641; 2005, c. 748; 2010, cc. 449, 645.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
